Further views
of the exhibit "Switching heads"
Further informations
on the exhibit "Switching heads"Normal glass panes let most of the incident light pass trough. Only five percent are being reflected. Due to that you can look through a window and see everything that is illuminated behind the glass. With a mirror it is the opposite. Most of the light is being reflected and you therefore only see what is illuminated in front of the mirror.
The exhibit switching heads has a pane combined out of window glass and mirror glass. It reflects the light and lets it pass in equal measures. Hence, it is called a semipermeable mirror. With equal illumination both, your own face in front of the mirror and the face of your partner behind the mirror, are visible - both faces blend together. Depending on the illumination you can even switch faces entirely.